Forward
by MsDaniLee
Summary: It's been three years since Tony has honestly breathed. Now it's time to take the world one day at a time. One foot forward and no steps back. Movieverse. Rated M for mature content and sex.
1. Empty

**A/N: So, this is my first Iron Man fic. It is set after the Avengers. And sadly, you'll find that an important character will not be present in this story. I have no problem with the character, but this is just how I wanted my story to go. I am following the movies, not the comics. This story will generally follow Tony's personal life and not necessarily as Iron Man. Not too much action. Rated M, because I'll see where I take it. Thank you for reading and please review, but try to make it constructive criticism and not insulting? Danke Shane. :) **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the words I write and my original characters. **

Three years had gone by. Time had passed slower than drying concrete. The emptiness inside the mansion was palpable. Tony sat on his bed, the ocean barely visible at such a late hour. The bags under his eyes kept him looking aged, his mind matching his outward appearance. Tony's body was bare; his only clothing being his cotton boxers. His feet rested on the cool wood of the floor and his arms draped down his sides with his hands meeting at his lap. His hair was disheveled and greasy. Tony felt the need for a shower but couldn't find the motivation to move from his current spot. The glowing light from the billionaire's chest irritated his eyes while the rest of the room stood dark and silent. He glanced down for only a moment to look at his palms and notice the sweat that now moistened his skin. He breathed deeply and ran his hands through his hair. He needed a drink, a strong one. Tony would not allow himself to drink his mind into another stupor, not after the nightmares that started nearly a week ago. He sighed. One drink couldn't hurt. He knew he needed a shower first.

"Jarvis, run the water. Cold." Tony's voice was barely audible but the artificial intelligence picked it up easily.

"Yes sir." He heard the liquid pour from the shower head. The thought of the ice cold droplets made his skin crawl but he preferred it that way anymore. The cold water kept him up longer. Tony avoided sleep at all costs. Sleep meant dreams, and dreams meant her face. He couldn't see it anymore. He just couldn't look at her eyes. When he did see them in his dreams, or in the pictures he used to keep around the house, he saw such life. He saw happiness, light, and most unfortunately, an undeserving fate. Now if he saw her eyes, all he saw was the matching emptiness he breathed every day. Tony forced himself to stand. His muscles were becoming weak. Tony Stark had lost his will to fight; to live on. Since the day of that crash, the day his life traumatically flipped, he felt the light drain from his eyes that same way they did hers. When he held her in his arms, completely helpless, he regretted not telling her how much she meant to him. He regretted not doing everything he could to breathe his life into her and fix her the way he fixed himself all those years ago. She had stood by him each day until he thought he might not need her anymore. It wasn't until that last breath escaped her body that he realized he would always need her. He swore that some days, he could still hear her voice lecture him about his reckless behavior or indecent exposure. At those times, he knew he was hallucinating but he let himself smile about it. If hearing her voice meant losing his mind, he would purposely leave his brain somewhere he would never think to look. Tony walked into the bathroom, disregarding the mirror. He grew used to ignoring the reflection that stared back at him every day. He didn't know the person in that mirror. The Tony Stark he knew had a second half. The Tony he saw now was a torn version of the old one. He gently slipped his boxers off and stepped into the frigid water. His skin tensed and his heart raced. The shower alerted his mind and jolted his nervous system enough to get him through another night.

"Jarvis, cut it off." The water shut off, letting the feeling of space surround him. Wrapping a towel around his lower half, he stepped out and reached for the bathroom door.

"Sir, I feel I should warn you that Colonel James Rhodes is waiting for you in the bedroom." Tony shrugged and tilted his head back, hand lingering on the doorknob. He took a long, deep breath and turned the knob. Rhodey sat with his hands folded in his lap and his head hanging low. Tony walked over to the bed and sat next to his friend.

"Hey Tony." Rhodey looked up at Tony, who was beginning to let his eyes distance away from reality. Tony responded automatically.

"Hi." He let his eyes shift over to Rhodes. "What are you doing out so late?" Tony held his gaze on Rhodey's face.

"I needed to check on you. Happy said he came by earlier and you were just held up in your room. You don't answer your phone anymore." Tony sighed audibly.

"I never hear it." He looked down at the floor. "I should pay better attention." In reality, Tony tried to feel something, anything. He was numb. His body wouldn't let him be who he used to be. He wanted to feel hurt, sad, broken, something. Happiness would be too much to ask for, but anything would do.

"Tony, you need to face this. You can't hide away forever." Rhodes looked to his long-known friend with grief lacing his words.

"I'm trying Rhodey." It was then that Jim lost his temper. He stood from the bed and faced Tony. His eyes stared directly at his friend as his fists clenched. Tony looked up to the man who stood in front of him. He felt the emptiness taking over. He could feel nothing, and a lot of it.

"Damn it Tony! You need to stop this! You've been held up in this big house all alone for three damn years now! You need to begin to move on!" Usually, Tony would be in Rhodey's face quicker than he could blink. This was different. Tony had no energy to argue.

"I don't know how. I can't." Tony closed his eyes and felt a tear threaten to escape. He hung his head low and strained to hide the weakness he felt. "I'm having a harder time every day." He had no reason in his mind to justice lying to Rhodey. He was his oldest friend.

"Tony, you're not the only one grieving. We all lost Pepper too." Rhodey almost choked when he said her name. He remembered the accident so vividly. He remembered the sight of the crash like a photograph. It made him cringe and his skin crawled. What stuck in his mind most was the sight of Tony holding Pepper's lifeless body. Him clutching her tightly; begging, pleading to whatever God existed to bring her back, to not take her. The scream that escaped Tony did not come from his vocal chords, his throat, his mouth, not even his diaphragm. That sound came from nowhere but Tony's heart. That sound will forever remain in Rhodey's mind and provide him with the most incredibly shrill nightmares he ever had the misfortune to experience.

"Please don't say her name." It was at that very moment that Tony felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. The unusual sting in his eyes and thickness in his throat greeted him so suddenly. His heart felt heavy, so heavy he almost fell forward. His head ran images of her through his mind quicker than the speed of light. He hadn't heard her name in so long. He hadn't had such a hard time breathing in just as long. Tony lifted his head to look at Rhodey when the tears began to fall and streak his face. Jim felt an immediate amount of guilt for scolding his friend.

"Tony…I'm—" His friend held up his hand in defeat. Rhodes walked over to Tony and sat back down in his previous place. Tony dropped his head in his hands and let himself sob for a few moments; this is more than he allowed on a daily basis. His body convulsed; his throat tightened and made him choke.

"Rhodey, why did this happen?" Tony's friend shrugged and looked in his direction.

"I don't know Tony. I can't tell you that." He put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. Tony nearly flinched at the touch but soon relaxed enough to remove his hands from his face. He tried to breathe deeply and slowly enough to let his lungs obtain the appropriate amount of oxygen. He looked to Jim with red, sunken eyed. Rhodey stood up and walked over to Tony's closet. Disappearing inside for only a moment, he returned with a plain white shirt and a clean pair of boxers. Tossing them at Tony, Rhodes headed for the bedroom door.

"Thanks." Tony choked his words out and followed Rhodey with his eyes.

"Fury is expecting you tomorrow at the tower in Manhattan. He needs to speak with you." Stark nodded and looked up to Jim.

"When do we leave?" Rhodes turned his head away from his friend.

"Fifteen minutes. I'll meet you in the car." Tony clenched the shirt in his left hand and the towel in his right and stood up. Rhodey almost left the room. "And Tony—" He looked back at his friend who was now headed for the closet himself. "I really think we need to start interviewing for an assistant. It's necessary." Tony just walked into the closet and shut the door.

The jet soared through the night sky with ease. Rhodes sat across from Tony, only a small table separating them. They both peered into the dark and watched as the sky sat uneventful and silent.

"Is Banner enjoying his stay at the tower?" Tony never removed his eyes from the window as he spoke. Rhodes sighed.

"Yes, he's just finishing the new reactor for the tower actually. He'll be installing it next month." Tony nodded.

"No incidents, huh?" Jim chuckled. He now peered over to his friend.

"Not since the last time you saw." Tony tried to let himself chuckle, or even smile. It was a battle often lost with him. His mouth was molded into a look of grief and sorrow. It could have been chiseled from stone. Tony could feel his eyes begin to slip and weigh more with every passing second. He did not want to sleep. He didn't want to relive it but after not long, he couldn't fight it. He was back in his lab, the scattered scraps of the Mark VII in front of him. He tried to pull himself out of the nightmare, he tried to control his actions but he failed. He was trapped in his own body, along for the ride of the dream he knew too well. His hands worked idly at the metal in front of him while the blaring sounds of Black Sabbath pulsed though his body. His focus never broke until his music abruptly stopped. Jarvis' familiar voice came over the intercom but there was something different about the voice. It nearly sounded panicked. Jarvis was not programmed to feel emotion. This startled Tony.

"Sir, Ms. Potts and Mr. Hogan have been involved in an automobile accident." Tony felt his heart nearly stop. He dropped what he held in his hands and made his way over to the launching pad. He stood in the middle while the mechanical arms began assembling the Mark VIII to his body.

"Where?" Tony gripped the metal around his fingers. "Open the garage." Once his helmet was in place, he took off with force out of his driveway.

"The car is located off of the 101 freeway just before the exit for Lost Hills Road." Tony began to fly in the direction of the destination.

"Take me there Jarvis."

"Yes sir." Tony's suit began to guide itself to the location while Tony's mind raced inside his skull. How did this happen? He couldn't fathom the thought. He tried to stay optimistic. Maybe it was a fender bender. Maybe the worst was that the other driver was yelling and screaming. Maybe no one was hurt. Maybe just wasn't good enough. Tony's eyes caught sight of the wreckage. He saw smoke and soot in the air. The suit began to slow and face upright for landing.

"Sir, Colonel James Rhodes is on the ground calling for an ambulance." The second the suit landed, Tony had full control of it.

"When did Rhodey get here?" Tony looked around.

"Five minutes ago." Jarvis' words set in to Tony's mind. The Audi in front of him looked like a crumpled piece of aluminum foil. The smoke was coming from what Tony assumed used to be the engine. With further observation, Tony saw Jim's black Denali parked on the side of the freeway and a large Ram parked behind it with the front grill hanging off. The car had flipped. How many times was unclear. Rhodey was sitting in his SUV on the phone, panic-stricken. He noticed the top of Happy's head on the other side of the car moving. Tony jogged over to him. He saw Happy trying to pry open the passenger door.

"Microphone on." Tony grabbed Happy's arm. "Where is Pepper?" Happy's eyes were wide and he just pointed to the door. Tony noticed Happy had a gash above his left eyebrow and his right leg was visibly broken. Stark looked to the door and saw the small bit of reddish-blonde hair hanging out of where the window had shattered. He felt his breath catch and with no time at all, he gripped the metal on the door and ripped it off. Pepper's limp body slid out of the seat and Tony caught her quickly.

"Lift the mask!" Tony shouted his command to his artificial intelligence and his face was soon exposed to the cool, crisp California air. The small chill nipped at the skin on his face. Burnt rubber and smoke smell filled his sinuses instantly. Pepper's body was a macabre sight. Her hair was staining a crimson hue with each moment. Her head was bleeding profusely. Among more serious injuries, her lip was busted and her nose bled. The fatal injury lied in her abdomen. A dark, large, sharp piece of rubber-like plastic stuck in her abdomen. It was clearly a piece of leftover scrap from the dash that exploded when the airbag deployed. The irony of the situation sickened Tony to his very core. His eyes widened when she turned her head and looked up at him. Her voice was only a small whisper.

"Tony." Her eyes were softened with no trouble darkening them.

"Hey Pep." Tony tried to restrain the tremors shaking his form. He looked into her eyes and tried to smile. "How ya feeling?" Pepper smiled a small, sad smile.

"I've been better." Tony gave her body another once over. He then looked up to search for Rhodey, for assurance on the arriving ambulance. He saw Jim standing next to Happy, eyes locked on him. He heard Pepper cough quietly and her hand rose to his cheek. "Tony, baby, I need to tell you something." Tony's eyes began to swell as incoming tears overflowed.

"Anything Pepper." Her eyes never left his face.

"You're a good person. You always will be." Tony ripped his metal glove off and took her hand in his while he held it against his cheek. "I've enjoyed being your assistant. I'm sorry I couldn't have been better." Tony attempted to control his breathing while the sobs shook him harder with every wave.

"No Pep, you're the best." Tony tried his hardest to smile. "You complete me, remember?" He saw Pepper give a wider smile as her eyelids began to sink.

"I love you Tony Stark." He held her hand tightly.

"I love you too Pepper." Tony held Pepper and felt her chest rise and fall one last time. Her arm went completely limp and he felt the sudden weight in his hand. He pulled her hand to his chest while his other hand held her lifeless body tighter. Her eyes were only barely open but they were empty. Her face was pale and drained. Tony felt his body begin to go into shock.

"Pepper? Pepper? No! No! NO!" His arm shook her in a feeble attempt to get a response. When he received no sign of life, he ran his hand down her face, dropping her hand in the process. "Oh God, no! Please, no! Don't do this!" Tony tilted his head back to the sky. "Don't take her from me!" His voice cracked and his eyes poured tears. He looked back down to his spent damsel and held her close to him. He audibly sobbed and continued to plead. "Bring her back! Please bring her back!" He closed his eyes and rocked Pepper back and forth. Both of his hands held her face when his head was thrown back and the most pain-filled, angry sound escaped his body. Tony's body shook in anger and his eyes burned as the cool breeze slid across his face.

"Tony! Tony, wake up!" Tony jumped in his seat to look back at Rhodey sitting across from him. He was back in the jet. He was flying through the air and his dream was over. Jim looked at Tony with concern.

"Bad dream." Tony tried to defend himself. Rhodes just nodded and sat back in his chair.

"Do you maybe want some coffee?" Jim stared at Tony until he nodded. Rhodey stood up and walked into the small kitchen aboard the aircraft. Tony shook his head and tried to clear the fog sitting behind his eyes. He attempted to let his mind relax but it was near impossible after the nightmare he had experienced for the fifth time in a row. Rhodey quickly returned with two mugs filled with black coffee. Tony gratefully accepted the one handed to him and sat back in his chair. He prayed the caffeine was enough to pull him from exhaustion and into a simple state of consciousness. Rhodey kept his eyes on Tony who took a long drink of the hot coffee.

"Was I loud that time?" Jim shrugged.

"Only toward the end." Rhodes then took a sip of his coffee and looked back to Stark. "When was the last time you saw Dr. Simmons?" Tony tried to recall his last session with the older gentleman who claimed he had a Ph.D. in Psychology but he didn't fool Tony for a second. He was never fond of Earl Simmons; therefore, he never told him anything he asked to hear about.

"Probably over a year ago. " Tony looked at Rhodes who only shrugged his shoulders.

"You need to start trying to let this release its grip on you. You need an outlet." Tony only nodded.

"I agree. I just haven't found it yet." Rhodey looked out the window and dreaded what he had to say next.

"I've set up some appointments for tomorrow." Tony looked over to Rhodey.

"Appointments for what?" Rhodes tried not to look directly at his friend.

"Look Tony, you don't have an appointment with Fury tomorrow, but Bruce, Steve, and Natasha will be there. I needed to get you out of that house." Tony could feel his patience wither. His jaw tightened.

"Appointments for what, James?" Rhodey knew his next words would upset Tony.

"Interviews." Tony slammed his coffee down.

"Damn it Rhodey!" Tony's faced turned a dark shade of red and his eyes narrowed at Jim.

"Tony, I'm doing this for you. You need your life back." Rhodes tried to soften his words but it was to no avail.

"No, Jim. What I _need _is for you to not lie to me and make my decisions!" Rhodey sat on the edge of his chair and his eyes bore into Tony's like they had so many times before.

"You _need _to begin moving on. Now look," Rhodey attempted at reasoning with his friend. "Bruce, Natasha, Steve, and I are going to be there for moral support. Tony, you don't have to do this alone, by no stretch of the imagination." Tony shook his head while he looked out the window. His hand reached up and stroked his poorly groomed goatee.

"I don't think I can Rhodey. I'm just not ready." Jim looked to Tony's fidgeting hand.

"You'll never know that for sure until you try."

The room was quiet. Tony sat at the long table alone while he waited for his friends to join him. Natasha was first to enter. Tony stood and gave something related to a smile. She gave a sympathetic grin and wrapped her arms around his neck. Tony lightly hugged her back.

"How you doing?" Tony sighed and let the feigned smile fade.

"I'm fine." Natasha nodded, fully aware of the lie. Her hair was long again and pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her defined hips held up a pair of plain black slacks and a red blouse covered her from the hem of her pants to just below her neckline. Class was her style. It was then that Bruce and Steve entered the room. Bruce took off his glasses and reached to grab Tony's hand. He shook Banner's hand tightly. Steve approached Stark and slapped him lightly behind the shoulder. Tony just nodded in his direction.

"We should get started." Tony dreaded the oncoming train that he was running straight toward but knew that he could only get hit so many times before it didn't hurt anymore. He sat at the end of the table as everyone else took their seats. Tony was informed that Jim would not be joining them for the interviews, as he had military business to take care of. Tony had to understand sometimes. Tony let his eyes wander around the room until he gave his instructions.

"Jarvis, please send the first one in." A few seconds later, the door opened and a stunning blonde entered the room. Natasha stood and smiled at her.

"Hello. Resume please?" She held her hand out and the unnamed woman handed her a paper. Natasha gestured to the end of the table. "Please, have a seat." With a sweet smile she sat back down while the blonde found her seat closest to Steve. Natasha looked up to her and passed her resume to Tony. "Well, please tell us a bit about yourself." Tony barely glanced at the lengthy resume before handing it to Bruce. He adjusted his glasses and began studying the list of experience.

"Well, my name is Audrey Stevens. I'm a graduate of Harvard University. I have several different backgrounds in fields pertaining to law. I am passionate. I love to work." Bruce looked up to the girl.

"It says here that you have a Master's in civil law?" The girl smiled and looked to Dr. Banner.

"Yes, I graduated six months ago. I know this is a new field but I'm trying to expand my experience diversity. I mean, I may be no Pepper Potts," Tony's eyes shot to the girl with anger. "but I feel that in time—"

"Get out." Tony's voice was demanding. Natasha closed her eyes in defeat. The girl slowly rose from her seat. Natasha stood up as well and held her hand out for the woman to shake.

"We have your number. We'll be in touch." Natasha gave a reassuring smile before ushering out the young woman. She sighed and let her eyes roll a bit. "Jarvis, the next one, if you would." Natasha remained standing as a brunette walked in the door. She was shorter, thicker, and in adroit physical shape. Her long hair hung straight and it was visibly thick. Her clothing choice caught Tony's eye. She wore a long pair of light gray slacks and a navy shirt that covered her bust line and the sleeves covered her arms up to her elbows. Natasha shook her hand and handed over her resume. She had a small smile and dark brown eyes. She took the same place at the end of the table next to Steve.

"So, could you tell us about yourself?" Natasha handed Tony the resume and he paid it more attention than the last. He noticed her multiple degrees in various areas of science.

"My name is Cassandra Aaron. I am a science major; recently achieved my Doctorate in physics. I feel I am quite qualified for this position because I am literate in the language of science and I am a very calm, organized person."

"I don't see on here what it is you do for fun." Tony caught everyone's eye while his were planted on Cassandra. She felt as if she was being challenged while his eyes pried at hers. She didn't back down. She decided to answer honestly.

"I am a mixed martial arts fighter. I have obtained my brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but I am currently ranking a black belt in Judo." Natasha let her lips pull up in a smile. Tony lifted an eyebrow and felt himself make a decision. He dropped the resume on the table.

"You're hired." Everyone quickly shot a stare at Tony.

"Tony, are you sure about this?" Steve smiled at Cassandra. "So quick?" Cassandra had an astonished look painted on her face. Tony disregarded Rogers' question.

"You have an apartment here in Manhattan?" Tony stood while he questioned her. He looked at her and she nodded. "Well go pack, you live in Malibu now. Jet leaves at six p.m., and it will leave without you." Cassandra stood up and smiled.

"O-Okay. Thank you Mr. Stark." Tony made his way to the door.

"You'll be taking that back by tomorrow." With one quick motion, he exited the door and it closed loudly.


	2. Moved

**A/N: So I appreciate my reviews. Hoped for a few more but I'm in no position to complain. I may spend a couple of days on this one. I may not; it just depends on how motivated I am. Let's see how it goes?**

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Boxes began stacking higher and higher in the small studio apartment. Cassandra ran a shaking hand through her messy brown hair. Her forehead was slick with sweat while her body went into an overdrive she hadn't felt in so long. Her living room was packed; her bedroom was, for the majority, all ready to leave. She was still confused as to how all of her things would get to Malibu. Cassandra had two hours until she had to be at the airport, ready to begin her new life in California, working for the famed Tony Stark. She stopped and let her lungs expand for a moment. The brutality of the truth slapped her hard across the left cheek. She was leaving Manhattan; this time would hopefully be the last of New York she would ever see. New York was big, huge as a matter of fact. It seemed to have new people in it every day. Cassandra saw new faces each time she walked down the street but it seemed that no matter how many different streets she wandered, she always saw him. The thought of his face made her sick to her stomach. A huge weight seemed to lift off of her chest and worrisome mind when the thought of living across the country from him entered her skull. She found herself smiling and shaking her head in amusement. As she continued to put small items from her kitchen neatly into a box, someone placed three small wraps on her door. Cassandra sighed and walked over to the wooden door. When she pulled it open, a tall, clean-cut man in a stunning Armani suit stood in front of her. His dark shades were immediately removed and the man smiled sweetly at her.

"Cassandra Aaron?" The man's voice was cracking and varied in pitch with each word he spoke.

"Yes, can I help you?" She silently prayed that this man had something important to say because if not, she would be resentful toward him for wasting her much-needed time. He held his hand out for her to shake.

"Happy Hogan, Stark Industries." Cassandra let out a breath and smiled. She gratefully took his hand in a firm shake. His smiled widened and he let go of her hand. "I've come by to brief you on the travel plans for this evening. May I come in?" She held the door open wider and held her arm out, gesturing for him to enter.

"Of course! I apologize about the mess. Do you mind if I pack while we talk? I'm behind." Happy smiled and nodded toward her. His dark suit and cleanly tamed facial hair made him look very professional. He walked over to her couch and sat down. It looked quite humorous, such a beautifully dressed person in such a drab setting. "Can I offer you some water? That's just about all I have right now." Happy waved his hand.

"Oh that's alright." He pulled his phone out and sent what looked like a text message. His phone resembled a piece of thin glass between two black metal bars. He slid it back in his pocket. "So, Cassandra, Mr. Stark has arranged for a moving service to pick up your things and have them shipped to Malibu." Cassandra idly continued her packing while giving Happy her attention. "It may take a few days to possibly a week so I suggest packing a suitcase with about ten days' worth of clothes." She pulled some duct tape over the top of one box, completing her kitchen. She lifted it up onto another in front of the door and smiled at her work.

"Well, that makes things much easier for me." She decided to take a break, realizing all she had left to pack were her clothes. Cassandra took a seat next to Happy and smiled. "I'm such a mess, I'm sorry." Happy shook his head.

"You look just fine. In fact, you look better than most people do after they finish packing an entire apartment alone." He chuckled and she tiredly laughed along. "So, Ms. Aaron, there are only a few more things you need to know." Cassandra crossed one leg over the other, giving Happy her full, undivided attention. "For the time that your things are being shipped, Tony has arranged for you to stay in the guest bedroom at his estate. He will have some apartments ready for you to choose from when you get there. He asked that I mention that this job requires no particular dress code but professional is preferred. Oh, and he asks that he doesn't happen to catch you in, what he calls, 'revealing sleepwear'." Cassandra nodded and smiled.

"Well I doubt he'll have to worry about that. None of that should be a problem." Happy smiled and looked to her with empathetic eyes. She tried to figure out why this could be.

"Cassandra, there is only one other thing I feel I mention to you. I say this not because Tony asked me to; but because I feel it is necessary." She cocked her head slightly and tried to find Happy's aim. "Ms. Aaron, you have to understand, Tony's actions today were not typical. His quick decision was a direct indication of something he has seen in you that I am confident the rest of us will see the more we get to know you. For now though," Happy almost hesitated. "please just speak with caution. There are a few things Mr. Stark is uncomfortable talking about and I hope you are aware of what they are. If not, I suggest you do some homework." He smiled to try and ease her nerves but she knew about what he was warning her. She remembered the news and media coverage on the death of the one and only Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries. Cassandra chose to just nod in understanding. The atmosphere was thickening and she didn't fancy that at all. Happy stood and lifted a hand to pull her up. She gratefully accepted and lifted off the couch. He nodded toward her and headed for the door.

"So, jet leaves at six?" Happy turned to look at her.

"Yeah, someone will be by at five to collect you though. It will either be me or Rhodes." Cassandra looked to him in confusion. "You'll meet him later." She smiled sweetly at home and followed him to the door.

"Well, thank you Happy." He turned and held his hand out again; this time for her to shake.

"It was my pleasure Ms. Aaron." Cassandra accepted his hand and he made his way out of the threshold. She slowly closed the door behind him, observing the way he walked with nearly a limp down the small hallway to the elevators. She heard the latch click in the door. Gently, she leaned her weight against the wood and sighed heavily. Cassandra had a feeling deep in her gut that she was getting herself into something she was nowhere near ready for. Regretfully, she sighed and pushed herself from the door and toward the bedroom to finish packing.

The inside of the jet was quite comfortable. The seats were cushioned and made of leather. Cassandra decided to take a seat to the left of a large plasma screen TV. The seat she sat in was the outside seat closest to the window. Her purse was set in the seat next to her. She tilted her head back to rest against the headrest while she let herself relax. The sound of chatter and footsteps came through the aircraft. Cassandra opened her eyes and looked to see where the noise came from. First, she saw the familiar tall, clean-cut Happy that visited her a few hours prior. He came to her and smiled. Ms. Aaron stood and made her way into the aisle to shake Happy's hand and smile back at him. Behind him was a taller man in an air force uniform and dark aviators.

"Ms. Aaron, this is Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes." The man gave a serious smile and held his hand out. Cassandra took it and held the firm grasp the man offered.

"Nice to meet you Lieutenant." His smile widened a bit.

"Likewise Ms. Aaron. But please, call me James." Another person stood behind Rhodes but Cassandra did not notice him until he spoke.

"Or Rhodey. That's what the rest of us call him." Tony's dark sunglasses were resting on the bridge of his nose as he looked over them at Cassandra.

"Hello Mr. Stark." She held her hand out for him to shake and he held his up to wave her off.

"Unnecessary." Happy leaned over to speak in her ear.

"He doesn't like to be handed things. Hands included." She only nodded in recognition. She threw a thankful glance to Happy and moved to take her seat once again. Once seated, she fought off the fatigue striking her. As if reading her mind, Tony began to speak.

"I hope you're not too tired. We have a lot to go over." Cassandra straightened as she watched the flight attendants walk up and down the aisles, taking orders as everyone took their seats. Cassandra moved her bag so Happy could take the seat next to her. Tony sat directly across from her as Rhodes sat next to him. Reaching into his briefcase, Hogan retrieved a folder and quickly handed it to her. She opened it to find a paper with her picture and information package. Rhodes spoke next.

"Ms. Aaron, we've run a complete background check on you. We found your education and employment history quite impressive." She looked up to him and smiled.

"Thank you. I've done my best to keep everything squeaky clean." Tony snorted. She looked at him confused. "Pardon?" She addressed him directly.

"How does one person keep their record completely clean their entire life? We didn't even find a traffic ticket. Not one single skirmish during your youth. Not even a school suspension? That's odd." Cassandra was taken back for a moment. She felt a bit offended by the comments. He was implying she was either hiding something or she was the type to do what she could to hide something. She rationalized for a moment before speaking. The second before the words slipped from her lips, his comment about her youth registered in her mind. Was she not youthful anymore? She wasn't even thirty. Choosing her words wisely, she let the words carefully parade through her teeth.

"Well, I never found any excitement in reckless or indecent behavior. In my," She hesitated for only a moment. "_youth_ I never needed to act out to fulfill my wants. That's all the explanation I have." He removed his sunglasses and looked to her. Once his eyes met hers, she let a venomous smile cross her lips. Rhodes changed the subject.

"Happy did brief you about the living arrangements, didn't he?" She let the smile fade and looked to James.

"Yes, he did. I'm sure I'll have no problem finding an apartment. I'm not the picky type." Tony stared out the window, obviously bored. Her attention couldn't help but draw to him. The way his eyes darted from one place to another intrigued her. If the job turned out not to be everything she had hoped, at least Tony would be an interesting observation subject for her personal human analysis study. She set the folder down on the small table as she felt the jet begin to move.

"Tony?" Happy caught his attention. "You alright?" Tony only nodded.

"Cassandra?" He addressed her while staring down at his hands that were fidgeting with the seatbelt. "Why did you take this job? If you were a science major and an impressive one at that, why take a job as an assistant?" All eyes looked to her now. Her answer was nothing but honesty.

"Mr. Stark, are you not one of the world's greatest minds this generation has seen? A fantastic and established scientist and engineer?" Tony's glare hardened. He felt as if she was playing with his mind. "Why wouldn't I jump at the opportunity to assist that mind? Albeit, I may never be a great scientist, I wanted this job to at least get closer to someone who was. This job suits me." She felt satisfied with her answer; so satisfied that she even shed a triumphant smile. Tony let a dark smirk cross his face. After only a second his mood shifted.

"Are you sure about that? Are you sure you weren't looking to leave to avoid someone? Mr.," Tony grabbed the folder from the table just before it slipped off from the take-off of the jet. He opened it and flipped a few pages until he found what he was looking for. "Borden?" Cassandra froze and the smile immediately dropped from her face. Tony set the folder in his lap and looked to her for an answer. She averted her eyes and tried to find the words.

"I uh, don't really like to talk about that." She looked back up to Tony. "That's not why I took the job." She lied for the first time. Although she did not accept the job for only that reason, she would rather not admit to any of the subject matter. Tony gave a small smile and took his sunglasses off.

"I know the feeling." She saw his eyes, they almost seemed genuine. Without hesitation she turned her gaze away from him and out the window to the pink sky. She bit back the hate she felt coming up like heartburn. It would be a very long flight.

The mansion was unlike anything she had ever seen. It was big but petite at the same time. Although, she felt an emptiness within. The cold was nearly unbearable. Tony felt it and alerted the artificial intelligence.

"Jarvis, heat it up in here. Seventy-five." Cassandra held her duffle bag in one hand and her purse in the other.

"Yes sir. Welcome home." Tony walked over to her and grabbed the duffle bag from her hands. She was still awestruck by the voice that echoed through the large room she stood in to notice that he had taken the weight from her hand. She looked to him and gave a small smile.

"Thank you Mr. Stark." He nodded.

"Let me show you to your room." Tony's eyes were dark with exhaust build up. He looked as if he was tired of something. He didn't seem to need sleep; he looked as if something had been building inside of him and there was no means of escape. This was one of the first things Cassandra picked up on and set a mental reminder to take note of it. Tony's feet began to move down a dark hallway. As he stepped further and further down the hall, lights began to illuminate on the ceiling. She was astonished at how smart his home was. Jarvis must have taken years upon years to develop. Cassandra could only imagine how long a highly intelligent mind such as Jarvis' took to create. She felt her lips turn up in a smile.

"Your home is quite impressive." She heard the snort she had heard once before escape him from in front of her. He stopped at a door just before the end of the hall; the door he opened was located to their left. Tony typed something in on an illuminated keypad that surfaced on a piece of glass on the wall outside of the room. A small green light flashed and he opened the door.

"Thank you. My father had it built when I was a boy. It was one of the largest estates in southern California at the time. It was originally supposed to be a vacation home but I loved it so much, I never left." Cassandra walked into the bedroom. A large king-sized bed sat in the very center of the room. The eastern wall was covered with a very large painting that Cassandra swore she had recognized before. The bed was pushed against the south wall and the north had a long, impressive dresser. A plasma screen television hung above it. On the left side of the dresser was a closed door. She assumed that it was the closet. What caught Cassandra's eye dominantly was that the entire west wall was composed of a thick glass, the dark waves of the ocean behind it as scenery. Her mouth nearly hitting the floor, she tried to focus on her response for Tony.

"That makes sense. I can't see why anyone would want to leave it here." She looked to Tony who set her bag down on the bed. "And Jarvis; wow. I'm definitely impressed."

"Thank you Ms. Aaron." The voice was smooth and calm. She smiled when the words rang through her ears.

"Mr. Stark?" Tony turned and looked at her. His eyes almost held a spark of something she could not place. There was definitely a dead feeling to Tony, which Cassandra understood completely given his situation but the spark was new. "I just wanted to thank you again for this opportunity." Her smile lit something in Tony. A burn coursed through his chest and he didn't have any idea exactly how to place it. Pushing it aside, he smiled back and nodded her way. He began to make his way toward the bedroom door. He stopped mid-step and turned to look at her.

"The bathroom is that door there." He pointed to a door that had, so far, gone unnoticed by Cassandra. She turned her head and saw the door Tony spoke of. "The bathrooms are the only rooms in the house that don't require a passcode. Yours has already been set. It's your three or four digit birth date, minus the year, reversed." She mentally ran it through in her head. Tony smiled her way and lifted his right hand to scratch the back of his head. She noticed his hair was tousled and messy. It hung in fairly long sections, one piece hanging at the length of his left eyebrow. His tie was still firmly in place and his blazer was still hugging him comfortably.

"I'll try my best to remember that." She let out a small giggle and his smile widened generously. He looked toward the door and sighed.

"Look," He pulled his arm up to look at his watch. "it's only about ten. I'm probably going to go downstairs to have a drink. You're more than welcome to join me." Cassandra thought it over for a moment. She had slept a considerable amount on the jet and didn't feel too tired. One drink couldn't hurt and it would give her the time she needed to get to know Tony a bit better.

"Okay, that sounds nice." She set her purse down on the large bed next to her duffle bag.

"Alright, just let me change. We'll meet in the kitchen? Just ask Jarvis to tell you how to get there." She nodded and watched him exit the room, closing the door behind him. She turned and opened her bag, noticing the lighting in the room was darker than necessary.

"Jarvis, could you light it in here just a bit? I can't see." The lights brightened and the glass wall tinted black. Searching the bag for something suitable to wear, she decided to keep her slacks on and change her shirt. She picked out a black, plain, long-sleeved shirt and laid it out on the comforter. Cassandra ran her hand across the incredibly soft material and pictured sleeping on top of it. The anxiety she hadn't noticed creeping up her spine suddenly released and was replaced with a swift rush of stability. Before, she doubted if this was the right choice. She wondered if coming to California and leaving her entire life on the east coast was what was in her best interest but the curiosity seemed to stop mattering. For a very quick moment, she let her mind wander to Tony. His actions, behavior, and appearance were all evidence of a broken man. She chose not to dwell on the subject long; it was unimportant at that moment. Slipping her current shirt over her head, she quickly grabbed the replacement and slipped it into place. Pulling out a pair of elegant flats, she kicked her heels off and placed them in the bag before zipping it up. Cassandra took a deep breath and made her way to the door. Turning the knob, she pulled the door open.

"Ms. Aaron, to get to the kitchen, you must walk straight down the hallway and make a right at the end." Cassandra began walking quickly down the hall, following Jarvis' instructions. Once she reached the end of the hallway and made a right, she heard the computer speak again. "You will now follow the winding staircase down to the great room." She swiftly padded down the stairs. "Now walk straight down the hallway adjacent from your location and follow it all the way into the kitchen." She smirked and looked up for a second.

"Thank you Jarvis. Oh, and please call me Cassandra?" She began making her way down the hall.

"It was my pleasure, Cassandra." She chuckled a little. At the end of the hall, she could hear footsteps and the sound of glass on a counter. As she walked in, she saw Tony in a white long-sleeved shirt, his glowing reactor showing through. Around his waist he wore a pair of sharp, dark-blue Levi's. She walked over to the barstools she spotted behind the granite bar. Tony stood just on the other side of the bar mixing his drink. She pulled out a stool and sat down.

"Hey there." She slipped her hands under her chin and leaned on them.

"Hey. What can I get you?" Cassandra pursed her lips while she watched Tony pour an amber liquid into a small glass with three ice cubes in it. He added a small herb leaf and took a sip.

"What do you have?" He turned around to his impressive alcohol pantry. The door was made of glass to display all of Stark's liquor.

"Just about everything." Tony reached for the door and tugged it open. "What do you prefer? Vodka? Whiskey? Rum?" He looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Wine?" He smiled. She threw a playful glance.

"Red or white?" She narrowed her eyes and puckered her lips again.

"Surprise me." He smiled back and turned to his pantry. Pulling out a bottle, he grabbed a glass from the cabinet left of the pantry. He set the bottle down and opened a drawer, searching for a corkscrew. Without looking at Cassandra, he spoke to her.

"That one is my personal favorite. Haven't had a glass of that particular wine in a very long time." She grabbed the bottle and turned to look at the label. She noticed the Italian scripture.

"'62 Barolo?" She looked up at him who only reached for the bottle in her hands. She handed it to him and let him pop the cork out. He nodded in her direction as he began to pour her a glass. "I've only ever read of wine like this." She swirled her wine around in her glass to let it breathe. She took a long inhale from the top and exhaled with a smile. He picked his glass up and took a generous drink from it.

"That wine was a gift to my father from the Italian Prime Minister. It's softened quite nicely over time I can imagine." Cassandra lifted the glass to her lips and let the full fruit flavors of the dry, yet satisfying wine dance across her tongue. She only took a sip but she smiled at Tony.

"That is exquisite. Very revitalizing." He lifted his glass to her and took another drink.

"So did you enjoy the flight?" She set her glass down and looked at the granite countertop.

"Of the moments I was conscious, I did." She smiled and Tony chuckled. He set his glass down and drummed his fingers on the bar. Without further contemplation, he moved around the bar and sat in a stool next to her. She sat so she faced him and he did as well. He shrugged and looked into her eyes.

"Look, about what I said on the jet. I didn't mean to bring up any sore subjects for you." His tone was even and low. She shook her head and waved him off.

"Don't worry about it." He sighed and killed what was left of his drink. He grabbed a bottle that was perched just behind the bar and poured more amber liquid into his glass.

"I just feel like I crossed a line." Cassandra stayed silent. She lifted her glass to her lips again, savoring the flavor. He looked over to her when he received no reply. "Just out of curiosity, did I?" She looked into her glass at the crimson wine and shrugged.

"Maybe. I try not to think about it." She lifted her eyes to Tony's.

"Hurt you that bad, huh?" She lifted her face and straightened her spine.

"I suppose you could say that." He nodded and looked forward, taking a long drink of his beverage. "What about you?" He looked over to her suddenly. Tony could tell she was testing the waters and he didn't want to sink her right away.

"What about me?" They were turned to face each other. He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you still hurt Mr. Stark?" His breath almost caught. The thought of being hurt had left his mind so long ago. The constant pain he felt was too much to simply call it 'hurt'. He nearly had to shake off an icy chill crawling up his neck.

"I suppose you could say that." She smirked. Her mind tried to stop her but her mouth disregarded.

"Do you still feel it?" A sudden burning in his chest made him feel lightheaded. His hand grasped around his glass rather tightly. He tried to remind himself that she meant no harm; unless, of course, she was getting some sort of sick revenge for Tony's words on the jet. He mulled it over for a moment and realized he did not blame her. He just smiled.

"Every moment." She took a sip of her wine and he finished his second glass of Scotch. He set his glass down and his eyes locked on her. "And by the way," She returned his gaze. "it's Tony." She gave a dark smile and narrowed her eyes before leaning most of her weight on the arm that rested on the bar.

"Well, in that case," She moved just a centimeter closer to him. "it's Cassandra."


	3. Tension

Cassandra's robe hung over her shoulders loosely as she stood in front of the glass. She grasped her mug tightly as she watched the water move carefully in the ocean. Taking a small sip of her coffee, she let a small smile creep across her lips while the memories began to emerge. She remembered the smiles, and the laughter. His face flashed behind her eyes and she could only sigh. Ryne's face was so familiar; yet she still saw him as a stranger. Cassandra closed her eyes for a second and let herself succumb to the pain for only a moment. She still could smell his cologne, an apparition to her now. If she thought hard enough, she still felt his arms wrap around her and his voice breathing words into her hear. She knew what he would say if he were there. She could remember it so well; she could have sworn she could honestly hear it.

"One day Cassie, we'll have everything you've ever dreamed of. We'll have the world." Her eyes snapped open quickly and her heart began to race. Nearly spilling her coffee, Cassandra quickly put her mug down on the bed side table and walked into the bathroom. The mirror was large and completely spotless. She took a long look at herself and who she was. She barely recognized herself. Her arms quickly removed her robe before pulling her nightie off. She reached for the pair of black slacks and an ivory blouse when she caught a glimpse of the scar on her left arm. The memory hit like a train; the lights, the sounds, the sight of it all. She closed her eyes and shook off her tears before they fell. After swiftly getting dressed, Cassandra walked over to the bed and slipped on her shoes and took a seat. Not a moment later, she heard Jarvis' now familiar voice.

"Cassandra, Mr. Stark is requesting your presence. He is down in his work station." She stood before she made her way to the door. After quick route guidance from Jarvis, she reached a staircase which led down to a glass door. She punched in her code and the door slid open. She spotted Tony from across the room and made her way over.

"Good morning Cassandra." She smiled when he said her name.

"Good morning Tony. You wanted to see me?" Tony stood up and faced Cassandra, not realizing how close he had come to her face when he did. She took a step back and turned a shade of scarlet. He placed a wrench on his work bench and wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead with his forearm.

"Yes, I did." He looked down at his grease covered hands and back down at the engine he was tinkering with. "Could you hand me that rag over there?" Tony pointed under the hood and Cassandra picked it up. He accepted the towel and smiled. "I did want to see you; I'm having a hard time remembering why." He wiped the grease from his hands and set the rag back down. He crossed his arms and stared at her with a look of concentration. She raised an eyebrow to him.

"Well, I could come back—" Tony cut her off by waving his hand in front of her face. She smiled with a look of confusion. His eyes softened and he locked his eyes on hers.

"Would you stay down here? I'm terribly lonesome. No offense Jarvis." The automated voice responded.

"None taken, sir." Cassandra chuckled and nodded her head.

"I could do that." He grinned at her and turned around to grab his desk chair. Rolling it up to her, he motioned for her to sit. She did so and watched as he turned back around to look back under the hood of his Audi. "So what's wrong with the Audi?" He made a grunting sound and rubbed his chin.

"Well, it's losing horsepower and RPMs, only when I drop below 2000 at a time, though. I'm thinking it could be a bad fuel injector. I just can't be sure. I've never had to work on this car before." Cassandra leaned back in the chair crossed her legs, arms hanging off the sides.

"It may not be that complicated." Tony turned to look at her.

"Do tell." She stood from the chair and walked over to the car.

"Well, you could be right, it could be a bad injector, but I've had that problem before." She analyzed the engine. "Does it die on you often?" He shrugged.

"Only once but I was able to start it back up not long after. Just had to rev the engine." She nodded and bit her lip.

"That's a good way to blow a hole in your reservoir tank." He smiled at her, surprised at her knowledge. "See, when I was seventeen, I had a '92 Pontiac Grand Am. I had the same problem. Turns out, it was the fuel pump." Tony raised an eyebrow. "It's an easy fix once you have the part."

"Wow. Jarvis, do a full analysis on the car and let me know if what she just said is relevant." Cassandra looked confused.

"Wouldn't it have been easier to just do that to begin with?" Tony dropped the hood and leaned against it.

"I like figuring things out. It's like a word search for me." Cassandra laughed at the analogy.

"Sir, it seems that Cassandra is correct." She smiled and lifted her arms.

"Lucky guess." Tony smirked and shook his head.

"No way. That was knowledge. You're pretty impressive Ms. Aaron." She narrowed her eyes at his use of her last name. She moved to turn around but quickly lost her balance. With quick reflexes, Tony grabbed her and pulled her close to prevent her from falling. She left his arms around her and something was lit inside of her. She lifted her head to meet his eyes that were looking at her. She noticed the life she did not see before. It was sudden and surprising. She felt her stomach flip and she heard the voice in her head scream at her. She quickly straightened up and regained her balance. Tony cleared his throat and patted her shoulder.

"Sorry, I haven't really broken in these shoes yet." He smiled and nodded.

"Understandable. Just didn't want to see you fall." She returned his grin and tried to shake off the awkward feeling in the air. "So," Tony looked around and exhaled. "breakfast?" Cassandra smiled and nodded her head. He headed for the door when she spoke.

"Tony?" He turned his head. "Thank you." He waved her off.

"Don't mention it."

The weeks passed fairly quickly. Cassandra began her work as the new assistant of Tony Stark and his multi-billion dollar company. She filled out paperwork and arranged meetings. She answered phones and replied to emails. Along with dodging reporters and keeping away from the media, she tried to focus on something else; she began to focus on something she tried to ignore at first. Why was she sparking each time she was around Tony? Why did he make her feel any different? As much as she wanted to not think about him, she found him around every corner, in every place she was. She couldn't escape him. She was trying to figure out why. After three weeks at work, Tony gave Cassandra a day to relax. She spent the day on the deck by the pool, soaking up some vitamin D. Her phone beeped and she groaned inwardly. She pressed the speaker button without even glancing at the device. Tony's voice echoed from the speakers.

"Cassandra, could I see you for a minute? I'm in my room." She lifted the phone to see his face and beaming smile. His smile faded when he saw her. "Are you in a bikini?" She rolled her eyes behind her dark glasses.

"I'll cover up." She ended the call and grabbed her wrap. Quickly covering herself, she made her way up the staircase to Tony's room. She walked in as he was pulling his shirt off. She stopped and turned her head quickly. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't know."

"No, it's fine. I'm just going to go for a swim. How's the apartment hunt coming?" She turned her head back slowly and felt a twitch in her lip when she saw him shirtless. Mentally shaking off the sight, she sighed. She hadn't found anything close enough to be around for Tony's late night insomnia and need for company. He didn't live near too many people.

"Bleak. Did you need something?" She tried to speak politely.

"I needed to ask you if you would join Rhodey and me for dinner this evening." She raised an eyebrow.

"Who are we meeting with?" Tony shook his head and grabbed a towel off the dresser.

"No one. Rhodey has a new girlfriend he wants us to meet." Cassandra nodded in understanding.

"Oh, well alright. Sounds fun. Anything else?" She gave Tony a long glance and noticed he wore black trunks with red stripes down the sides. Tony shook his head. She turned to leave when she looked back at him. "Tony, wouldn't it have been easier to just wait until you came downstairs to ask me?" He smiled while he began walking toward her.

"I suppose." She shook her head and shrugged with a smile. Back down by the pool, Tony set his towel down on the bench next to the one Cassandra was using and dived into the pool. She sat down and reached for her sunglasses on top of her head. Tony swam over to the side of the pool and smiled at her. "Aren't you coming in?" Cassandra shook her head. He looked at her deviously. "Why not?" She sighed.

"If I remember correctly, you specifically asked to not see me in anything revealing." She defended herself and he swam backwards.

"As long as you have a suit on, I don't see how it's revealing." She laughed and stood up. Turning around, she pulled the string to her wrap from around her neck and pulled the fabric off. She dropped it on the bench and Tony got his first look at the tattoo she had on her back. A long and elaborate peacock feather stretched up her spine. The different strands on the feather were all individually unique in color and shape. Different shades of green and purple composed the tattoo and small accents of blue, orange, and magenta made it stand out. It was beautiful and Tony was completely mesmerized by it. She turned around and saw the look on his face. With further examination he noticed two nautical stars tattooed on her hips and a koi fish just underneath her right breast. He ran a hand through his hair to break his attention.

"What?" She was confused as to why he was staring until it hit her that she had never told him about her tattoos.

"I was just caught off guard. I never took you as a tattoo person." She blushed and looked into his eyes.

"Yeah, well I used to be. The novelty wears off after you've had a few." She then walked over to the side of the pool and dove in. She swam over to the shallower section and came up for air. Tony made his way over to her and watched as she sat on the steps at the end of the pool. Her torso was exposed from the water and she leaned back on her elbows. He came close to her and she tensed when his fingertips grazed over the koi fish. He pulled his hand away slightly and moved close enough to feel the heat from her body. She looked up at him.

"May I?" She only nodded and looked down at his fingers that were grazing over the orange fish on her ribs. His eyes looked over her tattoo. Tony's hand never came too close to the fin of the fish which was in close proximity to her breast. His touch sent chills down her spine that she hadn't felt in a long time. Her eyes closed and she took in the gentle feeling of sensuality she was receiving. It had been very long since anyone had touched her anywhere so intimate; she was selfishly accepting the temptation Tony was generously providing. He felt small bumps rise on her skin where he touched her. The temptation was at a dangerously high percentage but Tony kept his eyes locked on her face.

"What does this one mean?" Cassandra opened her eyes and looked up at Tony. She could see the reflection of her eyes in his.

"Pardon?" She was a bit confused by his question. He gave a quirky smile and removed his hand.

"Well, from what I've learned over the years, most people get tattoos because they mean something to them. I was just curious as to what yours meant." She felt her body tingle with the sound of his voice. Such a low and melodic sound would sweep her off of her feet if it had come from anyone else. There was something different about Tony, though. Something inside her made her keep the distance she so desperately tried to hold on to. Trust wasn't something that came easily with her. His eyes, smile, and pure presence was enough to make her want to let her guard down enough to let him climb in. Tony Stark was a playboy in every aspect of the word; she knew that. Cassandra needed to resist as much as she could.

"Oh," Sitting up and looking down at the fish herself, she smiled. "my brother did this himself. He always swore he'd be a tattoo artist, and the day he got his hands on a gun, I was his guinea pig." She ran her fingers over the tattoo and saw her brother's face in her mind. "Sean tried his hardest not to screw up, but there's one scale that he messed up on accident. It's right here." She pointed to a single scale close to the tail fin of the fish and Tony moved in closer to look. Without having knowledge of the imperfection, it was very easy to oversee. One scale was split in two by a single line. "I told him not to worry about it but he always told me he'd fix it." Cassandra bit her lip and looked down at the ripples in the water. Tony moved his head back and stood up straight.

"He never got around to it?" She lifted her head and gazed out at the ocean.

"No, he never did." Tony felt he shouldn't press so he left it alone. Walking over to the deeper end of the pool, he sunk underneath and swam to the opposite end. Cassandra stood up and stepped out of the pool to go grab her towel. Looking back at Tony, she ran a finger through her dark, wet hair. "I think I'll go catch a nap before dinner. Could you just have Jarvis wake me about an hour before we leave?" Tony nodded with a smile and he watched her walk inside. He rubbed his face before dunking under the water again. After a few laps in the pool, Tony dried off and went back into his room.

Tony waited at the bottom of the stairs and mindlessly buttoned his shirt cuffs. He heard the sound of shoes clicking on the tile floor. He looked up to see her standing in a silk, emerald dress that hung just below her knees. Her hair was curled and pinned behind her left ear. The black and green accented heels looked to be about five inches tall and nearly unstable as she gracefully walked down the steps. Cassandra was absolutely stunning. Tony grinned from ear to ear and held his arm out for her to hook. Instead of accepting, she smirked and eyed him questioningly.

"Tony, you're not courting me." He laughed and persistently nudged his arm at her. She shook her head and took it.

"I may not be courting you but I am still a gentleman." As they walked outside, she took in the crisp California air with a long inhale. Tony took notice. "Have you ever been to California before?" She shook her head again and attempted to proceed down the driveway. He stopped and his mouth hung open. "Never?" She giggled.

"No, I've lived in New York my entire life." Tony shook off his shock and began walking again.

"Well I am a terrible host aren't I? I should be showing you all over!" Cassandra held her hand up.

"Oh no. Tony, you're my boss, not my," She fell at a loss for words. "my travel guide." For a moment, he mulled over the word she could have used. "You're not responsible for me seeing anything." He simply tugged her and watched her nearly trip.

"Now, now; I need to show you around! How on Earth will you know where I need you to go?" Just as he finished speaking, a black Mercedes pulled up in the driveway and Happy jumped out to run to the back and open up the doors. Cassandra pointed to him.

"I have Happy!" Tony shook his head in disapproval.

"No. Tonight after dinner I'm going to take you to some of the best parts of California." She stepped into the vehicle and sat down, waiting for Tony to get in as well before she replied. He sat down and straightened his shirt.

"Oh please don't tell me you're taking me to Disneyland or Hollywood Boulevard." Cassandra pleaded with Tony who only chuckled in response.

"Oh no. We'll take the jet to San Francisco and to a few other places. It'll be a great time." She nearly choked.

"Take the jet? Tony, I don't think that's necessary. We could do it anoth—" He cut her off quickly.

"Nonsense, it's much too long of a drive." Cassandra smiled at the thought of going to San Francisco and seeing the city she only read about and saw on TV. "We'll head down to some of my favorite spots. It'll be great." She nodded then and looked out the window to the passing scenery. The drive to the restaurant was anything but lengthy. Tony chatted with Happy about setting up arrangements for the jet to be ready in an hour and gave him instruction as to which restaurant they would attend. Quickly, Happy opened their doors and Tony escorted them into the incredible restaurant. The host informed them that Rhodey and his date were waiting for them already and showed them to the table. With a hug from Rhodey and a handshake from his date, they sat down and looked over the menu. Without hesitation, Tony ordered both of their entrees and the table was silent.

"Tony, it's really an honor." Rhodey's date was a tall, pale woman with black hair. Her face was small but classy and she wore a dark burgundy lipstick that went well with her dress.

"The honor is mine. It's good to see Rhodey is actually actively dating." Rhodey shook his head and Cassandra rolled her eyes at the statement. The girl, who Cassandra now knew as Alex, flushed at Tony's words. Rhodey moved his hand under the table and Cassandra assumed he had grabbed her hand. As the evening went on and everyone had nearly finished their meals, she stood to excuse herself to the restroom, Alex trailing after. The women stepped into the restroom and took notice as to how clean they were. A five-star restaurant could not afford a bad review because their bathrooms weren't up to par. Alex went into a stall and shut the door. It was then that Cassandra noticed that the two of them were the only people in the bathroom. Cassandra pulled a compact from her purse and touched up some spots on her face where the makeup had withered away. Alex opened the stall door and reached the sink to wash her hands. She smiled at Cassandra and leaned against the counter as the brunette finished her makeup.

"So, how long have you and Tony been a couple?" Cassandra was taken back for a moment. She sheepishly smiled and began her defense.

"Oh no, we're not. I'm his assistant." Closing her compact, she pulled herself together and fixed a few strands of hair that were not where they were meant to be.

"Really? You guys just seem so close. At dinner, I could have sworn you two were lovers by the way he looked at you." Her head snapped to look at Alex directly and now it was her turn to blush. How had Tony been looking at her? She didn't think he was looking at her any differently. This girl must be delusional if she thought there was anything more than a professional relationship between her and Tony. Alex's face turned sympathetic when she realized she may have said too much. Cassandra looked down into the sink and tried to recall a moment when Tony looked at her any differently. She was stumped. Out in the dining room, Tony and Rhodey were arguing over who would pay the check. Going Dutch was not either of their styles. Tony slapped down his credit card when Rhodes mentioned something surprising to Tony.

"She's a nice girl Tony. Be careful." Trying not to act as stunned as he was, Tony kept his head down while he folded his napkin in his lap. The waiter silently came over and snatched his card and the check.

"What do you mean Rhodey?" When Tony finally looked up, Rhodey was glaring at him intently. He tried his hardest to play dumb but Rhodes knew him better than that.

"Tony, I know that look in your eyes." Tony shrugged with defeat and dropped his napkin on the table. He leaned back in his chair and sighed audibly. "Talk to me man. What's going through your head?" When Tony stayed silent, Rhodes felt comfortable enough to continue. "You're coming back Tony. I can see it. You're more alive than you used to be. It's almost as if this girl has somehow," Rhodey thought for a second and smiled. "it's almost as if she breathed life into you. These last three weeks have gone better than any of us had imagined. It has to be her." Tony spread a dark smile and nodded.

"It is. I just don't know why." James held his smile.

"I do." Tony gave a dreadful look and lifted his hand.

"Enlighten me." His hand came down with a loud slap on his thigh.

"You like her." Tony rubbed his face. "You know that's okay, right? You tense up around her but you look at her almost the way you looked at—" Rhodey stopped short and Tony's eyes hit him as hard as a brick. "Well, you know." Again, Tony shrugged his shoulders. "Have you kissed her?" He only received a head shake in response and he nodded.

"I know I want to. I just feel like it's too soon to know if I really like her or if I'm just adjusting to having estrogen around me again." Rhodes looked down.

"You want my advice?" Tony looked to him, annoyed.

"Probably not." James ignored him.

"Kiss her. Nothing more, but nothing less. You need to start taking some steps forward Tony." He stood when he noticed the girls walking back to the table. He only nodded to Rhodes slightly and again extended his arm to Cassandra. She grabbed his, now returned and unnoticed, credit card off of the table and handed it to him before taking his arm. Tony looked to Rhodey and Alex and smiled.

"Well chaps, it's been fun." Rhodey chuckled at his terrible attempt at a British accent.

"You guys want to go get some drinks or coffee?" Tony smiled at Rhodey and shook his head.

"Sorry, but we have a flight to catch." He gestured forward and looked directly at Cassandra. "Shall we?" She giggled and they exited the restaurant.

The cab in San Francisco was old and worn but Cassandra was too mesmerized by the city itself to notice. Tony was a bit disgusted until he saw their destination.

"Tony, where are we going?" Cassandra noticed the harbor and boardwalks on the edge of the ocean. The engine cut off in front of a large street that looked to be full of shops and restaurants.

"This is my absolute favorite place in all of San Francisco." She opened her door and stepped out to smell the incredible sea air. She heard the distant sounds of the water moving and some gulls who were late to bed. The street was lit up and large sign informed her that they were on Pier 39, the Fisherman's Wharf. She was a bit confused as to why Tony would pick here of all places as his favorite place but she decided to trust him. He led her onto the street and all the commotion and people made her light up.

"Tony, this is so great!" They continued down the pier to find a small shop that sold wine by the glass. He bought her a simple Merlot and him a glass of Chardonnay. Cassandra smiled at everything she saw. They entered shops that sold shells by the dozen and souvenirs by the hundreds. Tony bought her a stuffed sea turtle, which he later learned to be her favorite animal. They looked at pearls and she gushed over how much she adored them. Tony then bought her the first real pearl necklace she had ever owned. She promised to pay him back with her first pay check but he waved her off. Once the night began to die down, he took her upstairs to his favorite place. Just over the surfer's shop, behind a small store, was an area where they had telescopes. After slipping a few quarters in, Cassandra gazed out at the ocean and the moonlight's reflection smiling down on the water. With no intention, a chill ran down her spine and caused her body to shake. Tony quickly removed his dark blazer and placed it over her shoulders. She pulled it closer, attempting to not get inebriated by his scent. His voice was silky in her ear.

"Still believe I'm not courting you?" She turned away from the scope slowly and looked at him. She tried her hardest to keep a tough persona.

"No, I don't." Tony put a hand on her shoulder gently and looked into her eyes. He wasn't sure what he saw there. He couldn't even be sure he was supposed to see whatever was hiding. Her eyes sparkled against the bright moon and he knew it was the right time. It had to be. No time could have been better. Tony stepped closer to her so he could feel her breath on his lips. She looked at him, trying her hardest to hold her breath. His hand slipped from her shoulder, up her neck, and with a small force, he pulled her lips to his and took in every inch of the feeling. Her eyes closed slowly and she exhaled out of her nose while she let her lips mold to his easily. His thumb caressed the side of her face and she felt her hands moving to protest. Taking control of herself, she used her arms to grab a hold on Tony's shirt and pull her body closer to his. Tony broke the kiss after a long few moments and looked at her. He nearly apologized until she pulled him to her and wrapped her arms around his neck. Without any hesitation, Tony passionately kissed her and savored the sweet taste of the wine and sugar on her lips.


End file.
